SOC 3020 Storytelling with Data: Techniques and Tools

This course introduces students to the art of data-driven storytelling through the principles and practices of basic data analysis and statistics. Students will learn how to craft compelling narratives that bring data to life, using engaging examples and questions of broad public interest. Topics such as celebrity earnings, gender pay gaps, crime statistics, and personal fitness data will serve as case studies for developing narrative techniques that transform raw numbers into meaningful stories. Students will master the full storytelling cycle: from identifying newsworthy patterns in data, creating clear and persuasive visualizations, to writing engaging narratives that contextualize findings for different audiences. Through hands-on practice using a software package chosen by the instructor, students will develop both technical skills in data analysis and the narrative capabilities needed to make statistics accessible and impactful. This course equips students with essential skills in finding, analyzing, and telling powerful stories hidden within data.

UCC Area J (Data & Analysis) Course Objectives: Learn and practice the principles, skills, and methods of data collection, analysis, making inferences, and communicating data-informed findings.

Credits: 3.0